Best Overrall Area to Live Around UMD, College Park (Columbia: middle-class, low crime)

[laxboyfreak]

My family has recently been relocated to the DC area, and I am the one in charge of finding a house and have full control. I will continue my education at the University of Maryland, College Park; therefore, I would prefer to buy a house within a 30 minute commute to the school. The catch is that it has to be located in Maryland so that I can gain residency for in-state tuition later on. The price range is $300K-$400K. The problem I am having is distinguishing a great, safe, quiet neighborhood/town within a 30 minute commute to school. What I want to know is the best area to live in around (or even within) College Park. The following list is what I take into consideration when looking for a good neighborhood: majority white people, close vicinity to shopping areas and groceries, a central core to the city/town, affluent businesses, well maintained homes and yards, low crime, town-wide community events. If there are no towns located within a 30 minute commute to the school that fit my criteria, please let me know a good area no further than an hour commute, but keep in mind that the longer commute is not preferred.

The more feedback, the better! Thanks!

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by laxboyfreak

My family has recently been relocated to the DC area, and I am the one in charge of finding a house and have full control. I will continue my education at the University of Maryland, College Park; therefore, I would prefer to buy a house within a 30 minute commute to the school. The catch is that it has to be located in Maryland so that I can gain residency for in-state tuition later on. The price range is $300K-$400K. The problem I am having is distinguishing a great, safe, quiet neighborhood/town within a 30 minute commute to school. What I want to know is the best area to live in around (or even within) College Park. The following list is what I take into consideration when looking for a good neighborhood: majority white people, close vicinity to shopping areas and groceries, a central core to the city/town, affluent businesses, well maintained homes and yards, low crime, town-wide community events. If there are no towns located within a 30 minute commute to the school that fit my criteria, please let me know a good area no further than an hour commute, but keep in mind that the longer commute is not preferred.

The more feedback, the better! Thanks!

Wait, you're in college and your parents tasked you alone with finding a house?

[dkf747]

Columbia, MD fits most of your criteria, I think.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by laxboyfreak

The following list is what I take into consideration when looking for a good neighborhood: majority white people, close vicinity to shopping areas and groceries, a central core to the city/town, affluent businesses, well maintained homes and yards, low crime, town-wide community events.

The Kemp Mill area of Silver Spring might work. The budget of $300-400K will get you an older ranch or split level with 3-4 bedrooms. (I am counting downtown Silver Spring as the central core.) The commute is about 8 miles and 20 minutes to College Park. I'd say it is more middle-class than affluent.

[goldenage1]

Olney is within 30 minutes of College Park if you take the new Inter-County Connector which is a toll road. Olney is a younger growing suburb with decent schools and interesting shopping in the strip malls. The recent crime on Spotcrime is mostly theft from stores and a couple of assaults and disorderlies-- nothing serious.

You did not say whether there are young children in the family, and it makes a difference what people recommend. Olney is pretty quiet for Montgomery County, whereas Silver Spring is more lively.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by laxboyfreak

My family has recently been relocated to the DC area, and I am the one in charge of finding a house and have full control. I will continue my education at the University of Maryland, College Park; therefore, I would prefer to buy a house within a 30 minute commute to the school. The catch is that it has to be located in Maryland so that I can gain residency for in-state tuition later on. The price range is $300K-$400K. The problem I am having is distinguishing a great, safe, quiet neighborhood/town within a 30 minute commute to school. What I want to know is the best area to live in around (or even within) College Park. The following list is what I take into consideration when looking for a good neighborhood: majority white people, close vicinity to shopping areas and groceries, a central core to the city/town, affluent businesses, well maintained homes and yards, low crime, town-wide community events. If there are no towns located within a 30 minute commute to the school that fit my criteria, please let me know a good area no further than an hour commute, but keep in mind that the longer commute is not preferred.

The more feedback, the better! Thanks!

An important detail would be where you're coming from. That would give us an idea of what you're used to. Second, depending on where you're coming from, consider what you can "afford" in a house and decrease that by at least 25%. The DC area in is in the top 3 for cost of living in the country. Therefore money doesn't go as far here. Best to low-ball what you can afford. Third, it is pretty tough in the DC area to get into a majority white neighborhood within any reasonable commute to UMD. The further north and east you go, you get into majority white areas. But, you'll have to deal with the morning commuters headed into DC and other points west. The other places mentioned such as Columbia have large Middle Eastern populations and a growing Latino population. Lastly, one thing you must know is that as DC continues to add residents from other parts of the country, the closer you are to DC, the more expensive to live. This will continue to push lower income residents further out into the suburbs. So, if you do choose to live somewhere majority white, it won't last for long. All the white people are moving back towards the city.

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

Olney is within 30 minutes of College Park if you take the new Inter-County Connector which is a toll road. Olney is a younger growing suburb with decent schools and interesting shopping in the strip malls. The recent crime on Spotcrime is mostly theft from stores and a couple of assaults and disorderlies-- nothing serious.

You did not say whether there are young children in the family, and it makes a difference what people recommend. Olney is pretty quiet for Montgomery County, whereas Silver Spring is more lively.

I second Olney but it is definitely more of a family oriented neighborhood. You can definitely find a decent house there for the higher end of your price range.

[KCP_1980]

What's wrong with College Park and the surrounding areas? We have a house in Hyattsville and you might be pleasantly surprised by the route 1 corridor. It really depends on how big a house you want, though. We're looking to move to southern PG because we want a lot more space, new construction, etc. We can't afford a new construction house north of route 4 basically. For that price range, you are looking at something smaller, older. But still potentially quite nice.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

So, if you do choose to live somewhere majority white, it won't last for long. All the white people are moving back towards the city.

There are exceptions for places like Kemp Mill which have a large population of Orthodox Jewish people. They do not move outside the walking distance to the synagogue. It continues to be a stable area and that's one reason I recommended it. The other reason is that it's a short drive or bus ride to University Blvd and College Park.

As I understand, the elementary school population in most areas of Montgomery is "majority minority".

[Zimar]

Originally Posted by laxboyfreak

My family has recently been relocated to the DC area, and I am the one in charge of finding a house and have full control. I will continue my education at the University of Maryland, College Park; therefore, I would prefer to buy a house within a 30 minute commute to the school. The catch is that it has to be located in Maryland so that I can gain residency for in-state tuition later on. The price range is $300K-$400K. The problem I am having is distinguishing a great, safe, quiet neighborhood/town within a 30 minute commute to school. What I want to know is the best area to live in around (or even within) College Park. The following list is what I take into consideration when looking for a good neighborhood: majority white people, close vicinity to shopping areas and groceries, a central core to the city/town, affluent businesses, well maintained homes and yards, low crime, town-wide community events. If there are no towns located within a 30 minute commute to the school that fit my criteria, please let me know a good area no further than an hour commute, but keep in mind that the longer commute is not preferred.

The more feedback, the better! Thanks!

The way you worded this is super offensive. What are you going to do when the entire U.S. is majority-minority in a few years, move to New Zealand?